Plaster lath bundling machine



Sept. 5, 1939. L. N. SORENSEN ET AL 2,171,954

PLASTER LATH BUNDLING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l Zinnentors law: M foam at Jase/M6. Firz r/n/M attorney Q Q a 3 N m S kw vw J L I v Q 3 w Q Q 3 Q w Sept. 5, 1939. L. N. SORENSEN ET AL 2,171,954

PLAS'IE'R LATH BUNDLING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4.. m n n attorney 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 5, 1939. L. N. SORENSEN ET AL PLASTER LATH BUNDLING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1958 Tu l Q U Q Q dttorneg Sept. 5,1939.

' L. N. SORENSEN ET AL PLASTER LATH BUNDLING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS Lou/6 V. Toes/v55! 5' ATTORNEY.

Sept. 5, 1939. N. SORENSEN ET AL 2,171,954

PLASTER LATH BUNDLING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIE-1|] EIE.11

Ihwentors Qttomeg Patented Sept. 5, 1939 I UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 2,171,954 PLASTER. LA'rn BUNDLING MACHINE Louis N. Sorcnsen and Joseph G. Fitzthum, Port Clinton, Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Celotex Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application ay 16,1938, Serial No. 208,326 4 Claims. ((1216-22) Our invention relates to improvements in a link chain as illustrated in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, plaster lath bundling machines and in particular with the plate portion 23:; uppermost; secured to to the means whereby the edge binding material certain parts of the inwardly projecting plates is severed between the bundles as the said bundles 23a by bolts 26 are spacer plates 21 having anguadvance continuously along the carrier chains. larly disposed center portions or separators 21a, Another object is to provide a means whereby and these spacer plates are secured to the chain removable spacers, mounted on the carrier chains 23 at spaced intervals. at exact intervals, prevent crowding as the The separators 21a serve to divide the bundles plaster lath moves continuously along on the said of plaster board or lath and convey them forcarrier chains. ward over the carrier chains from the loading These and other objects may be noted from end to the discharge end. the following specification and its accompanying Gummed tape rolls 29 and 29a are mounted illustrations, in whichon pins 30 and 30a on opposite sides of the frame Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the bundling ma- Outside of the carrier chains I6 and i1, and said chine. gummedtape passes between wetting rollers 3| Fig.2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of an 32 und i e rollers 33 and are folded over the bundles of lath 34 by folders 35, the

the knife and delivery and of the machine.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2. lath being properly lined by the guide roller 36 and plate 31.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, partly in section to show the knives in cutting position. The gummed' tape is held in contact with both edges of the bundle of lath 34 by rollers 39 and Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of one knife in sheathed position and oper- 390 until t u h s s r llers 40 and 40a traveling on the folded over edges at the top ating means.

Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 5 but showing and bottom respectively of the lath, to seal the the knife in cutting position. bu dl s t e he Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the e bun s ave rwa d nt t ey reach knife operating mechanism with the k ife onrthe traveling knives 4| which cut the continuous riage in the position shown in Fig, 6, v strip of gummed tape at the separating plate 21a.

Fig. 8 is an elevation similar to Fig.7 with the T k i ass m y nsists f uide shafts 42 knife carriage in the position shown in Fig. 5. mounted within bosses 43 on the frame struc- Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end elevation 01' the ture, a sleeve 44 superimposed over the shaft 42 knife mounting showing-the ends of the plaster h h s a Plate 45 mounted thereon d a t lath bundle and carrier chain, bar 46 mounted between apertures 41 in the knife guides 48.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary top plan view of the arri r a d spacer, The knives 4| have arms 49 secured thereto at 36 Fig. 11 is an end elevation of Fig. 10. their outer edges, said arms having roller shafts 50 mounted through the curled outer ends there- Fig. 12 is a side elevation of Fig. 10. Again referring to the illustrations, the frame the roller Shafts t at n in rollers 5i and 5Ia at their lower ends. The inner edges consists of a plurality of supporting members III to which are attached cross members II and Ma Of the knives 4| are serrated to facilitate the cutting operation.

base channel members l2. Shafts l3 and Ba,

Forward on the plates are mounted bearat opposite ends of the frame, support sprocket wheels l4 and I5 at the receiving and discharge ins blocks 52 having ing 53 at the rear ends and adjacent the edges thereof. Rotatable ends respectively. Carrier chains l6 and I! are mounted over said sprockets which are driven by shafts 54 are mounted therein. Driving rods 55 45 means of a motor l8 through a variable speed drive 19, chain 20 and sprocket 2|.

The carrier chain consists of a plurality of links 22 and link mounting lugs 23 having rollers 24 mounted between links 22 on pins 25. The link mounting lugs 23 have an angularly disposed center portion or plate 23a with an aperture 23b in the center thereof, said link mounting lugs being mounted on pins 25 on the outside of the links 22, positioned in such manner as to form bearing brackets 51, said brackets have apertures 58 therein transversely of the threaded end and through which are mounted pivot pins 59, said pivot pins being the means whereby the driving rods are secured to link chains 60 which are mounted on sprockets 6| and 62 and 55 which have a travel length that is the same distance as that between the spaced separating plates 21a and are synchronized with the carrier chains It and I1 so that the knife assembly makes one complete trip, forward and back for each bundle of lath.

Angular or offset stationary tracks 83 on opposed sides of the frame and adjacent the respective knife assembly are mounted on platforms 64 as illustrated specifically in Figs. 5 and 6. Pivoting track dividers or switches 85 are spaced approximately in the center of the platforms 54; levers 65 on the underside of the platforms 64 are secured to the pivot 61 and levers 68 are pivotally attached to the platforms by pins 69.

In action, Fig. 5 illustrates the return of the' knife 4| from the cutting stroke as shown in Fig. 8, as the knife travels back the carriage at indicated point 10 contacts the lever 66 and causes said lever to move toward the outerside of the bundler turning the track divider or switch 65 to the position shown in Fig. 6. The knife 4| then starts forward on its cutting stroke, the roller 5| striking the track divider causes said knife to move inwardly severing the bundling tape between the bundles 34.

As the knife moves forward the roller II pushes against the track divider 65 causing it again to assume the position shown in Fig. 5. The lever 66 contacts the lever 60, thus when the point II of the knif assembly strikes the lever 68 the track divider 65 again assumes the position shown in Fig. 6. As the knife 4| returns the track divider 65 keeps the knife from moving inwardly thus preventing damaging a bundle or jamming the knife. The forward half of the track divider 65 and the lever 68 are not necessary to the proper functioning of the knife assembly but are installed as a safety measure to prevent jamming of the knife by inadvertent bumping of the knife roller 5|.

The line of travel of the roller SI and the knife ll are indicated on Figs. 5 and 6 by arrows.

Figs. '7 and 8 show a slightly different knife assembly mounting, a shorter plate 450. is used and a pair of shorter sleeves a and b in place of the long plate 45 and sleeve ll shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

In operation the bundles of lath travel along with the conveyer chains, to the left in Fig. 1, and as they travel the tape or binding material 29, 29a, is applied to the side edges of the bundles, the bundles being spaced and advanced by the plates 21a between the bundles. As the bundles reach the knife stations the knives are projected inwardly between the bundles by the cam action of the switch plates 85, as the knife carrier 45 advances, said advance being at the same speed and direction as the travel of the bundles, whereby the knife completes its stroke without stopping the travel of the bundles, and after the binding tape is cut the cam track 63 acting on the roller ll, withdraws or retracts the knife which is then carried back to original position by the. action of the chain belt 60 and connecting rod II, for the next operation, the switch 65 being thrown by the action of the lever 66 to permit the'roller 5| to pass back without advancing the knife.

It will be seen that by means of the spacers 21a the bundles are held in exact arrangement or series with spaces between into which the knives may enter, and that the knives are advanced at opposite sides and also travel along with the bundles to sever the tape between the bundles without stopping the travel thereof.

Various changes in the structure are possible within the scope of the invention and the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a machine for binding lath bundles, the combination with reciprocating knives movable between the bundles to sever the binding, of means to operate each knife, said means including a carrier reciprocating in a line parallel to the line of movement of the bundles, and a cam track operating on the knife to advance and retract the same, said track including a switch operated by the carrier to permit the backward movement thereof without advancing the knife.

2. The combination stated in claim 1, the means to operate each knife comprising a reciprocating knife carrier traveling beside the bundles and a cam track operating on the knife and including a pivoted cam switch acting to advance and retract the knife during the advance of the carrier, and a lever operated by the carrier and connected to the switch to throw the same at the end of said advance of the carrier and to permit return of the carrier without advancing the knife.

3. The combination stated in claim 1, the means to operate each knife including a reciprocating carrier working beside the bundles and having a guide for the knife, a roller attached to the outer end of the knife, and a cam track for the roller, said track having a pivoted switch engaging the roller and formed to advance the knife during movement of the carrier in one direction, and means operated by the carrier to throw the switch and permit bypass of the roller without advancing the knife on the return movement of the carrier.

4. The combination stated in claim 1, the means to operate each knife comprising a guide rod parallel to the line of travel of the bundles, a reciprocating carrier on said rod, having a guide for the knife, a cam track beside the carrier, and operative means between the cam track and the carrier constructed to advance the knife inwardly when the carrier is moved in one direction and to hold the knife retracted when the carrier is moved in the opposite direction.

'LOUIS N. SORENSEN. JOSEPH G. m'rz'mou. 

